Parters In Crime
by Zela von Drear
Summary: Will Turner never was Jack's best mate, I was. now Elizabeth is here asking me to help bring him back from the locker after she killed him, but at least i will get Jack back, for everything is dull without him.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean, but Tessa Black is my original character and is not to be used under any circumstance.

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The sea writhed and pitched below The Pearl, the massive slimy tentacles of the Kraken wrapping around the pearl. The crew heard the crunching of the wood, the groaning of the ship as it was crushed by the beast who lusted for the flesh of the man with the black spot. The life boat floated in the water, bobbing up and down, the crew only able to watch as Elizabeth pressed Jack to the mast and kissed him. Will's face was a mixture of shock and pain as he gazed on the two kissing passionately, looking away before his heart was even more broken. A woman with deep brown hair and brilliant green eyes watched as her friend was cuffed to the mast, trying to climb out of the boat to help him, Gibbs and another sailor pulling her back into the boat as Elizabeth climbed in.

Tessa watched as the Kraken devoured Jack, her heart pounding in her ears, her throat closed and dry as The Pearl and her best mate were dragged to the depths. She glanced at Elizabeth, who was simply staring out at the sea, her face blank, William looking away from her, crushed by her infidelity. The woman licked her lips, swallowing and finding her voice. "One day Elizabeth, I'll kill you for that... you sent Jack to the locker... and it'll be my pleasure to send you there myself..." she snarled, her face twisted in, rage, held back by one of the crew, her body shaking.

"I'll never forgive you for this..." she half yelled, tears filling her eyes and pouring down her face as she turned her head, looking back at the sea where The Pearl had been. She wanted to throw herself overboard and swim and swim until she found him, but she knew he was gone. She looked back at the other woman, seeing her pale face and scared expression. If it wouldn't have meant her death, she would have drawn her pistol and shot the bint in the head, but she was content to let her suffer with the threat for now.

Tess didn't talk the rest of the boat ride, stumbling a bit when they reached land, helping the remaining crew barter for passage to Tortuga, climbing aboard with a blank look on her face and emptiness in her heart. She spent the weeks on deck and in the rigging, hardly talking to anyone, simply doing her work with a stone cold face and robotic actions. When they reached Tortuga, she left the ship, not saying a word to any of her former crew, heading to the Saucy Wench for a drink.

She spent the night staring into her mug of rum, taking a few swigs every now and then, letting the pain of Jack's death drift away with every swig. In the early hours of the morning, she stumbled drunk up to a rented room, curling up in the large bed, wrapping her arms around a pillow and mumbling to it, calling it Jack and asking him to sing her the song about really bad eggs. But no one sang a song, and no answer came from the pillow. She slipped into a drunken, fitful sleep, tossing and turning in the night, crying out for her friend.

When she woke she was sprawled in the bed in her clothing, climbing out of bed and rubbing her face, looking like a drunken mess. She found her way to a tailor, buying herself new clothing and a new hat, bartering passage onto a ship to Singapore. She had to get away from this place. It lived and breathed Jack Sparrow, and she could no more call this place home than she could anywhere else. She was a pirate, a drifter, a soul lost to the calls of the wind and tide, and no place could be her home without Jack at her side.

She reached Singapore, making her way among the pirates there, getting a little apartment and a private bath in Sao Feng's bathhouse, the fresh ink adorning her back in that of a dragon and phoenix marking her as a pirate of Singapore but a free soul that could not be bought. She spent her days soaking in her bath and drowning her sadness in rum, practicing her swordsmanship only when she felt like it, living a calm and quiet life now. Late one night she lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, her green eyes half closed with exhaustion from staying awake for well over a day. her mind was wandering, her journal open in her lap, a couple pages filled with her thoughts, her lead pen still in her hand. She rolled onto her stomach, reading what she had written by the light of the candle.

_Today was unproductive. I woke late, ate breakfast, and simply spent hours in the bath house drinking and thinking and relaxing. I spend hours and hours relaxing, but it never works. Jack always said the only way I could relax was after a good fight. He'd bandage me up and give me a bottle of rum and we'd talk by the fire and laugh and joke until we fell asleep. Gods above I miss him. It's been a few months and I can't believe that he's truly dead. . I miss his fake flirtation, his hugs, the way he always make me feel good about myself, and most of all, I miss it when he smiles at me and winks before making a witty comment to one of our disadvantages. I miss Jack Sparrow, and that little voice in the back of my head keeps whispering about how I might think of him as more than a friend, so I shove it away and continue to soak away all of my worries in rum. Soon I will feel the daze of liquor wash over me, and for a time, I will be able to forget._

She closed the book heaving out a sigh, lifting the locket she wore around her neck, opening it and looking at the tiny sketch of Jack on the inside. "Goodnight Jack..." she whispered sadly, closing it and blowing out the candle, falling asleep alone in the darkness.


	2. Chapter 2

I dont own pirates of the caribbean or the characters, but i do own the plot and Tessa Black and any use of her by others is prohibited

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The steam clouded the room, the sounds of soft music and flowing water filling the bath house. Tess was leaning in a corner, chewing on an apple, her long hair wet around her round face, green eyes scanning the room. She watched from the shadows as the unarmed Barbosa and Elizabeth walked in. She curled her lip setting the apple aside and pulling out her pistol, cocking it silently, ready to shoot one of them if it came to it. She would be more than happy to end one of them. She listened as they talked to Sao Feng, her brow furrowed, stepping into the light, her pistol in her hand.

"Why would you want to bring Jack back from the locker… Elizabeth is the one who sent him there in the first place…" she said, her voice cold, eyes like green daggers, the other woman flinching back from her gaze, her brown eyes wide and scared.

Barbosa smiled at her, turning to face her, tipping his hat to her, displaying his rotten teeth. "Jack be one of the nine pirate lords, and he failed to pass his piece of eight on to a successor. The song has been sung, and Jack must honor the call, even from the grave…" he said, leering at her. Tess snarled at the man, her fine features marred by anger. "I know what he was… you've got an agenda Barbosa… I know it…" she growled, putting her gun away.

She turned to the Asian pirate lord, bowing to him, her green eyes on his dark ones. "I'll lead the voyage to worlds end… I'll be the only one to look at the charts, and after Jack is back, you two and fight it out to the death if you wish…" she said. Sao Feng frowned and nodded. "You have proven that you are a trustworthy friend, Tessa Black, but cross me and you will be sorry…" he said, scratching his head waving his hand for more steam.

"I will give you a ship and a crew… but you will owe me a favor…" he said, tossing her the map and waving his hand. She turned, glaring at Elizabeth, striding out, her black hat pulled low over her eyes as she moved. The other pirates followed her as she made her way to one of the pubs, sliding into a bar stool, ordering herself a drink and sipping her rice wine. She wasn't partial to it, but her rum was at home and she didn't want these two to know where she lived. She'd never trust them.

Barbosa slid into a stool beside her, Elizabeth on his other side, smiling at her. He laid his hand on hers, his ugly filthy nails brushing her skin. She jerked her hand away, glaring at him as he looked at her with those watery blue eyes. "Thank ye for doin this Tess… it means the world ta me…" he said, his words oily with lies. She wrinkled her nose at his rank breath, turning away. She'd never help them in a million years, not unless it benefited her. They cost her Jack, and brought on the worst months of her life. In her mind they would be enemies until she ran her sword through them and send them to the briny depths herself.

"It's not for you Hector… It's for Jack. I'll run you through the moment we get him back and we're out of the locker…" she growled, the smile falling from the man's face. "And you will call me Captain Black… I'm your superior on this voyage, and you will treat me as such…" she said, sipping her drink tossing the bartender a coin. "We leave tomorrow morning at dawn. Be at the docks or be left behind" she said, leaving the bar and walking back home, sinking down on her bed.

She pulled off her clothing, down to her underclothes, laying in her bed, stretching out in the darkness, her face no longer tense or angry, simply sad. She had the map, she had a crew, and they were going to rescue Jack. But if they failed, they'd all die. It was risky, but it was worth it. If it brought Jack back to her, she'd do anything. She knew she cared too much for that pirate, but he'd been her closest friend since they were children growing up in Shipwreck Cove. She closed her eyes and drifted off, sleeping poorly like she had been for the past few months. Dreams swept her away, her tipsy mind spinning fantasy in her dreams.

_She stood on the deck of The Pearl, her long brown hair pulled back in a long braid down her back, her hands slowly stroking the dark wood, watching he sunset. The wind whipped around her, loosing strands of her hair, making them blow and dance around her face. She breathed in the cool salt air as night started to fall, her head feeling clear and bright, everything feeling sharp and in focus with that breath of fresh air._

_"You look a bit off love…" came a soft voice, two arms circling her waist, pulling her into a loose hug, his chin resting on her shoulder. She repressed a shudder, loving the feeling of his body against hers. She turned in his arms, looking up at him, smiling as he reached up and gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. They locked gazes for a few minutes, her green on his deep brown. Their stare was intense, a battle of wills of who would look away and save themselves from being torn apart by the eyes of the other. Tess glanced away, her arms looped loosely about his waist, fingers picking lightly at his shirt._

_"I am a bit off Jack… I don't know what it is, but I feel like I'm missing something… something that I'll never have…" she murmured. She'd schooled herself long enough that her face didn't flush, but her heart raced. He was so close, his face inches from hers, her nose filled with the smell of the sea and the scent that was uniquely Jack. He smiled at her, stroking her cheek, raising a black brow, looping his arm around her shoulders and walking her back to his cabin, her arm around his waist as they moved._

_"You need a drink mate… I don't think I can help you with your problem… you be in love mate….you've not come to terms with who ya love, and ya may not even know who ya love, but its there…" he said, squeezing her shoulder as he lead her inside. She leaned her head against his shoulder, smiling falsely at him._

_"Love Jack? You think I, Tessa Black, could love someone… you know full well I break hearts, I never get my heart broken…" she said, smiling at him as he let her go, sinking down on her bed as he passed her a bottle of rum, falling down next to her, smiling and pulling her against his side. She took the cork out of her bottle, taking a few long swigs and leaning against him, watching him as he drank._

_"You know you're the only man for me…" she teased, a broad grin spreading over his face as he cocked a brow. She knew that times like these were hard on her heart, and every time she gave into his charms, whether it was a week or a year or five between her lapses in judgment. She would fall into his arms and his bed and every time she would give him a little bit more of her heart._

_"And that's why you're me best mate…" he said, taking a deep swig before he put his rum aside, taking her bottle and putting it next to his own. He cupped her face and kissed her deeply, stroking the skin on her neck slowly. She moaned softly into his mouth, letting him pull her close, his hand sliding up under her loose white shirt, rough fingers pressing into her skin as she tugged him closer._

_Clothes were pulled off and their kisses grew rough, hands grabbing and stroking, skin grinding together. Their mouths clashed, sweat beading on their skin. They moaned and screamed and panted, finally collapsing together, their eyes closed. Tess laid with her head on his chest, still breathing a bit heavily, her hand rubbing his chest, his fingers trailing up and down her back. He kissed her forehead gently, smiling at her kindly, making her smile at him. "What?" she asked, looking up at him, her green eyes on his dark ones in the low candlelight._

_He smiled, rubbing her back, chuckling softly at her. "Nothing… you're beautiful…" he said, tipping her chin up and kissing her gently, cupping her face and stroking her cheek with his callous fingers. She couldn't stop the flush that came to her face, her eyes closing again as she hugged him gently, smiling into his lips._

_"I love you Tess…" he breathed, smiling at her, stroking her face. "always have, always will..." he said, smiling at her, making her blush and grin. She caressed his face as he gazed at her with love in his eyes, opening her mouth to speak._

_"I…"_

She was jolted awake by a clap of thunder, the words caught on her lips. The words danced on her lips and slipped out in a whisper. "I love you…" she breathed, swallowing thickly and closing her eyes again tightly, curling her hands into her blankets. She bit her lip against the tears, rolling herself out of bed. She washed her face and pulled on her clothing, her head pounding from the drink she'd ingested the day before. She gulped down water from her pitcher, getting her hat and her effects, bringing all her gold and leaving, never looking back at the old little place.

She walked through the rain to the ship, the map slung across her shoulders, keeping it close at her side. This was the only think that could bring back Jack, and everyone knew it. she made her way onto the ship, glad of the small captains quarters, not wanting to have to sleep anywhere near the back stabbing bitch who started this mess in the first place.

The next day, she found herself at the helm, her long hair loose around her face, steering them into oblivion, towards the edges of the map, to the places that couldn't be found. They were in open water, simply sailing forward. If they encountered an island, they sailed right on past it. She let her mind wander, drinking in the sun and the smell of the sea, enjoying the freedom that came with a ship.

Usually Jack would be at her side on a voyage. He would joke and drink and talk to her, determined to make her laugh when she was sad. They would sit on the bow spike and drink, and hold out their arms and pretend they were flying. She missed those days with him, learning to fly, laughing and teasing, acting like they were children again. Her mind wandered back to one of those times, when she stood on the bow spike, arms out so she wouldn't fall, the wind blowing through her hair.

_She was flying, with ocean below her and land far out of sight, virtually alone. She then felt Jacks arms wrap around her, and they were flying together._

_"Ya know mate, you are the only one who has ever kept their balance while standing here, let alone fly like you" Jack whispered in her ear, smiling at her, his hands on her hips"you are me best mate, Tess, never forget that" he said, hugging her closer, his chin resting on her shoulder._

_"You're my best mate too, Jack" She said, closing her eyes and slipping out of his embrace by sinking down onto her knees and swinging down to the lower rail on the back of the boat. Jack jumped down next to her and leaned against the rail, an almost worried look gracing his casual uncaring face. She looked out over the rail to the sea, her long deep chocolate hair whipping around her face in the salty air, no smile nor frown on her face, but just ever so slightly the corners of her mouth turned down._

_She was thinking of all the times Jack has whispered of how he cared for her and how she was the only one he trusted, and then when we could make port he would run off with some wench and she wouldn't see him for a few days. She would just be waiting on the ship after restocking it, and when he would return, he would stink of rum and cheap perfume, and though he would never admit it, he had been away with a whore while she tried to wait patiently for him. It hurt her every time he told her he would be gone for only a short while, a few hours at most, and then leave her waiting for days._

_"Tess, what's eatin' ya" he said, a hint of worry to his tone, trying to peer into her face through the curtain that her hair made between them. We were so alike, so free spirited and disinclined to rules, but her sense of loyalty was stronger than his tenfold. He always could tell when she was upset, and he would plan some extravagant surprise that would make her forget what he had done wrong for a little while, but she was always reminded when he left with a promise to be back and was horribly late._

_"Nothing Jack, I'm just thinking" She said, tossing her hair away from her face a giving him a small smile. He could tell she was lying, she could see it in his eyes, but he knew not to push her when she didn't want to be pushed._

_"Alright then love, how bout we head for port, I believe that Gibbs and the crew are waiting for us to take the pearl out for a bit of plundering, how does that sound?" he asked, dismissing the worry from his eyes and bringing back the mischief that they always shone with._

_The memory faded and she sighed softly, lea_ning on the wheel, the sun setting around her. She gave the wheel over to one of the crew, heading into her cabin, falling back on the bed, pulling out a bottle of rum and drinking until her head started to spin. She closed her eyes and blew out the candles, curling up around a pillow, dreaming that her friend was there with her, stroking her hair and tucking her in, making sure she was comfortable and peaceful while she slept.

She'd be happy when she had Jack back. She knew they'd fall into the same old routine, Jack and her sailing around the Caribbean, causing mayhem, living until their last breath, side by side. She regretted that she hadn't gone to the locker alongside him. They'd sworn as children that they'd live and die together, and she'd only been able to watch as he was killed. At least in death, she'd known they'd be together, but here she was going to the locker to bring him back to the world of the living. She was glad that he would be coming back. That was if she could find a way out of the locker. If not, they'd just live in purgatory for the rest of their lives of infinite punishment.

She curled up in her bed and fell asleep, safe and sound and warm under her blanket, dreaming of Jack, wishing he was beside her, holding her tightly, making sure she knew that everything was alright.


End file.
